Lenovo shows off high-performance, rip-and-flip laptop/tablet

Lenovo has announced an addition to its family of convertible laptop/tablet devices: the ThinkPad Helix, a premium Windows 8 convertible for business users featuring a “rip-and-flip” design that is rapidly becoming the blueprint for the next generation of laptops.

The ThinkPad Helix functions as a high-performance ultrabook, but the 11.6-inch, 1.8-pound tablet can separate from its base to become the thinnest full-function Intel 3rd generation Core tablet with vPro.

Unlike other convertibles, the rip-and-flip screen lets users flip the tablet 180 degrees and snap it back into the base. That mode, called Stand, transforms Helix into a presentation device. From there, users can also fold the screen down to use it as a tablet while keeping the base connected for added ports and connectivity.

As an ultrabook, the ThinkPad Helix, which starts at $1,511, runs up to 10 hours on a single battery charge. Navigation and interaction can be done with a precision on-board pen, a full-size keyboard or the new five-button clickpad that boasts 20 percent more surface area than traditional ThinkPad clickpads. With the brightest screen in the ThinkPad line, Helix’s high-definition 1080p IPS display maximizes clear, crisp and vibrant visuals in nearly any environment.

To connect virtually anywhere, ThinkPad Helix also comes with optional LTE2 high-speed wireless and the emerging Near Field Communications technology that allows devices to share data seamlessly by simply tapping to pair them.